Stumbling and Falling
by KiwiDayDreams
Summary: Young academy sweethearts Garrus and Shepard have decided to take the next big step in their relationship. The only problem is neither of them have any experience, much less with an alien partner! Awkward mature content and fluff. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_**This fic was written for enjoyment and the fact young Shep/Garrus coupling is too adorable to not write about. Tidbits like the possibility of chafing and adverse reactions to each other have been ignored (I think it being their first time is awkward enough ;)) Also a fill for a Mass Effect Kink Meme request. Enjoy!_

"Shepard!"

Cassandra Shepard glanced up at the familiar voice as she walked through the bustling halls, her currently foul mood brightening upon seeing the Turian's face.

"Garrus!" she called, waving a hand as she picked up her pace to meet him in the middle.

"Hey," he said softly with an affectionate brush of his forehead to hers in greeting. She gently laced her small fingers between his talons. "I didn't see you in class. Everything alright?"

"Yeah, I was just too busy having the Headmaster lecture my ass off."

"For what?" Garrus asked, mandibles falling slack a little. It wasn't that he was surprised that she had ended up in the Headmaster's office, it actually happened quite often, but the topic of 'why' was always an interesting one. Shepard had her opinions and morals and was more than ready to fight for either one. She was feisty like that; it was one of the reasons he had begun courting her in the first place. He'd been entertaining the idea for some time, but when she get into a biotic brawl with Aria T'Loak in the cafeteria and didn't die he was hooked. Despite her being a human no one on campus would ever say that his potential mate wasn't a force to be reckoned with. It also helped that Aria and Cassandra had developed a silent mutual respect after that.

Shepard's cheeks flushed pink and she brushed some hair behind her ear. Garrus found it adorable how she always seemed to be embarrassed about these escapades when she had to explain them to him.

"I headbutted Miranda in Phys-Ed..."

"I...what?" Garrus asked, jaw hanging open. "Why?

"Because, Garrus!" she insisted, releasing his talons in frustration. "Joker was just trying to compliment her and Miranda-my-daddy-bought-this-ass-for-me-Lawson told him that he had better get home before the wind broke his spine! She deserved it! Besides...Coach Wrex thought it was hilarious."

"Chk...," Garrus clicked in his throat, muffling a chuckle at the picture. "Okay, that was pretty harsh... What did the Headmaster say?"

"What do you think?" Shepard gave him a sour, frowny face.

"This is an OUTRAGE!" they both declared, shaking their fists in unison. The act made them both laugh.

"Yeah, pretty much," Shepard chuckled. "Oh..., but he also said that I'm not allowed to go to the Citadel tonight either."

"What? But everyone's going for the end of the semester bash," Garrus huffed, holding out his talons. "I was going to take you to see the new Blasto film!"

"I knoooow," Shepard said forlornly, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm sorry, Garrus... I have a bad habit of ruining things, I know."

"Hey," he purred, resting a hand at her hip and tilting her head up with a talon. "You don't ruin anything. You're just a little crazy, that's all."

"Oh, thanks," she snorted and stuck out her tongue. "You're always welcome to date an Asari, you know. They're all perfectly well-mannered and gorgeous."

"You're gorgeous," Garrus murmured, pressing his forehead to her's again.

"But not well-mannered?" Shepard grinned, brushing her hands over the soft flesh on his neck.

"Not boring is more like it," he chuckled.

"Stop sucking face in the fucking hallway!" Shepard stumbled against Garrus as Jack shoved past them. "If I wanted to watch porn I'd download it on the fucking extranet!"

"She's always so pissed off," Garrus hummed, watching the heavily tattooed girl stalk down the hall, biotically tossing people against the lockers when she didn't do so with her elbows.

"She's Jack," Shepard scoffed. Everyone knew Jack, or at least knew enough of her to know what she was like. She never seemed to have a good day and had been expelled numerous times, but continued to be brought back on artistic merits. Apparently, the literature professors thought she had a future writing poetry or something.

Garrus couldn't have cared less for Jack's artistic talents, though, because he was reveling at how close Shepard was to him now, so close he could smell every bit of her. They rarely got to be this close, restricted by dorm policies and curfews. Not that he didn't enjoy the little things; but he couldn't help thinking of the others, especially during times like this. He felt a little guilty knowing he had surfed the extranet numerous times in his dorm room, telling himself it was just research so he would be prepared for everything in their relationship. 'Everything' always tended to lead to 'one thing', and before he knew it he was hands on into that 'research'. If Shepard ever found out he would die of embarrassment.

"I'm only Turian!" he griped aloud until he'd noticed that Shepard and moved away and was looking at him oddly. "Uh..." He clicked his talons together.

"Okay... So, did you get any of that?" she finally asked.

"No, I'm sorry... I was... thinking about...," he scratched under his fringe. "Calibrations."

"Ugh! Again? What am I going to do with you?" Shepard said, exasperated before leaning close to whisper. "I was saying that you should ditch the trip."

"For what?"

"So you can sneak into my room. No one else will be on campus! I'll be entirely alone!"

Alone? Oh, Spirits...

"We can watch vids or something... Sound good? ...Garrus?"

"Oh, yeah!" Garrus cringed at how horrible high-pitched his normally low voice came. "Sure... Sounds great."

"Okay," Shepard said with a smile. "I'll be seeing you later then."

"Right..." He nodded a little too much and watched her go. When she was out of sight he groaned and shuffled his feet a bit. He needed to get home to work on that research again.

* * *

Shepard was excited. This would be the first time she and Garrus really had a chance to spend some time together alone. No worries at all.

Crap! Why wouldn't her hair just do what she wanted it to?

She frowned at herself in the mirror holo, pushing her hair this way and that. She knew Garrus probably wouldn't care about how the lock of hair kept duck-tailing into her face, but she was determined to tame it anyway. Just when she was ready to take a pair of scissors to the unruly mop on her head, she heard a knock from the main room. Her heart fluttered in her chest a bit as she rounded the corner of the hallway, smoothing her shorts and tank top. Oh, blast! Why hadn't she worn something nicer? Shut-up, Shepard! It's just vids! Not like you're going on a date or-! She pressed her hands to her cheeks and smacked them a bit.

"Calm down, Shep...," she soothed herself. "It's just... Garrus." She murmured his name as she saw him there, tapping at the balcony door. She rushed over and hit the button to open it and he came inside. "Garrus... Did you climb all the way up here?"

"Yes..," he said, straightening his shirt. "Why?" Shepard stifled a giggle.

"You could have taken the elevator, you silly ass... I disengaged the cameras when everyone left."

"Well...," Garrus clenched and unclenched his hands a bit, looking a little awkward.

"I mean... This was far more daring of you, certainly... " That seemed to re-inflate his ego a bit.

"You know me... daring," he said with a slight Turian grin. His claws shuffled their way into his pant's pockets to shop them from figiting. "So... What are we watching, then?"

"Oh! Well, we have our pick! I'm a vid junkie you know me." Garrus watched as she walked over to a small library of discs, bending over to shuffle through them. He felt his knees go weak and clenched his jaw shut tight. Those shorts were doing nothing to hide the curve of her hips...and how they tapered to her waist in that unforgiving tank top. All he'd ever seen her in was her school uniform – all straight up and down and proper. This was too much. He forced his attention away from her, turning to look back out the balcony door.

Shepard turned with some discs in her hands and looked at him, regarding the rather striking profile he cut. Still very much a young Turian, just now starting to really develop his fringe, she could already tell he was only going to get better. She'd seen how fully developed Turian males looked, having done her own guilty research on the extranet (she needed to know what to expect, of course!). Though foreign, she found she liked how dominating and exotic they looked. Absolutely ferocious. And in the vids...the males were none too gentle. She couldn't imagine her sweet, attentive Garrus being so rough... Or...well...oh, dear, maybe she could.

Was it hot in here? She took a deep breath. They were alone...after all.

"Garrus," she squeaked a little, fumbling with the discs and dropping a couple. Garrus snapped back to attention and moved to assist her, suddenly bringing them eye to eye when they rose back up. Shepard took the discs and hastily set them on the display case. "Garrus... I …."

"Yes...?" he said softly, his intense blue eyes searching her face.

"I...," she fumbled with her fingertips. "I don't want to watch vids..."

_Damnit, damnit, damnit! You did something wrong! What did you do, Garrus! _

"Oh... Okay...Should I...go?"

"Oh! No!" Shepard said, grasping his hands. "I didn't mean that... I just meant...I don't want.. to watch...vids.." She drew closer, eyes half lidded as she brushed her forehead to his, breath light on his mouth. Garrus let out a deep sigh, removing his hands from hers to tentatively grasp her hips, his thumbs running over the ridge of her hip bone beneath her flesh. She had excellent structure, just like he'd dreamed.

"Okay...so what then?" he prodded, not wanting to get his hopes up but barely able to keep them, and other things down.

"Come on, Garrus...," she chuckled, ducking her head shyly. "We don't know if we'll get time like this again..."

He just gawked at her for a moment so she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing into him, and placed an encouraging kiss at the tender flesh of his neck. It was one place she knew he liked to be touched from their all-too-brief sessions prior. Garrus shuddered and brushed his talons across her back, edging them cautiously against her skin just beneath the shirt. She giggled.

"That tickles..." Garrus found himself chuckling as well and nuzzled her neck, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Are you sure you're ready for this...?" he asked. She nodded.

"You...?"

"You have no idea...," he breathed, letting his tongue brush out against her neck. He felt her shiver and growled a little bit. Shepard had begun to undo his tunic and for a moment he worried that she might not be impressed by the ridges of his plating. They were developing at varying rates and so he always figured that he looked a little uneven. What if she laughed? Shepard wouldn't laugh... would she? She wasn't a Turian, maybe she wouldn't know the difference. Garrus grunted and tried to silence the insecurity in his head, instead exploring Shepard's torso and curves further.

"I... uh..," she murmured as his tongue found the hollow of her throat.

"What's wrong?" Garrus pulled back to look at her. She had his tunic half open while his hands grazed her ribcage.

"I just...hope you're not disappointed."

"Why would I be...?" Garrus asked, as if she were insane.

"I'm not...my breasts aren't as big as...Miranda's or...a lot of the girls..."

"Breasts...?" Garrus was puzzled a moment. "Oh...these you mean?" His hands brushed up her shirt and he cupped them without thinking. Shepard was mortified and smacked his hands away, turning bright red. She was about to reprimand him when she remembered that female Turians didn't have breasts. It wasn't something that Garrus was familiar with at all. He seemed startled at her reaction.

"I'm sorry, Garrus. It's just you don't... You don't just GRAB them like that," she said. "It's a sensitive thing..."

Garrus nodded, looking a little relieved that he hadn't made a huge mistake. "Sorry," he apologized sheepishly. "Can I try again?" Shepard looked at him, feeling the heat still in her cheeks as she gnawed her lower lip. Patience, Shepard.

"Okay...just...be gentle..," she said, tugging her shirt up and turning her head to the side, trying to act non-nonchalant about it.. Garrus gave a sigh at the sight, both new and oddly alluring at the same time. Despite his instincts ordering him to lunge forward and take her to the ground, he instead regarded her and gently stroked her waist, working his way up to the two mounds of flesh. They were weighty in his hands, and pliable. When he squeezed them she whimpered. He made a note of that.

"Is that okay?" he asked. She nodded, and looked at him.

"What's wrong with them...?" he asked.

"Nothing. They're just...underdeveloped." Garrus stopped his exploration of her breasts and looked at her, and then laughed softly. They really were in this together, weren't they? Shepard looked at him, confused, until he took her hands and set them to the task of removing his tunic while his claws scratched carefully over her back and he buried his face in her neck again. "We should probably go to my room."

"Sure," Garrus murmured. Part of him wanted to ask why but everything else told him to shut the hell up and do whatever she wanted or he might screw it up. When Shepard brushed away his tunic and turned to lead him down the hall, he felt a growl rise in his throat. His pupils dilated and his eyes zeroed in on the exposed flesh of her shoulder and nape of her neck. Suddenly, he was grasping at her hips, claws digging in, with his maw biting down on the tender spot between her neck and shoulder.

"Garrus!" Shepard exclaimed, startled. Garrus quickly released her, stepping back a couple of times, shocked at his own actions.

"I-I'm sorry." Shepard's fingertips rubbed the redness on her skin, he hadn't drawn blood. She immediately noticed how flustered he'd gotten and closed the gap between them.

"It's okay...," she soothed him, reaching up to stroke one of his mandibles. She'd seen this before in the vids. All the Turian males did it so despite him startling her it wasn't entirely unexpected. The last thing she wanted to do was make him feel guilty for acting on his instincts. After she was sure her assurance had calmed him, she took his hand again and led him to the bedroom.

Garrus didn't quite understand why she wanted to go to a different room. He would have been perfectly happy where they were; no one was there after all. Upon seeing her bed, unkempt with pillows scattered about, he felt a sense of honor. This was where his Shepard slept every night; he caught her scent all over the room. The fact she was allowing him into her personal, sacred space warmed his heart while the sheer intimacy of it fueled the fire in his body.

Shepard turned and hopped up onto the end of the bed and he moved to stand between her legs, tracing his talons over the warm flesh of her outer thighs.

"Shepard...," Garrus said, avoiding her eyes a little. "I hope this goes okay..."

"Oh, I know... I imagine this is as new to you as it is to me..." She shifted on the bed a little.

"So you've never...with a Turian, before?" he looked at her directly again, mandibles fluttering against his jaw. No pressure at all, Garrus.

"Um, no," Shepard said. "But I mean...ever." Garrus claws stopped their caressing.

"What?"

"I... I haven't had sex before," she clarified, reaching up and fiddling with her hair, obviously shy about sharing.

"Wh... Why not?"

"What do you mean, why not?" she replied, brow furrowing.

"No! I mean... I'm surprised you haven't slept with more—NO! I don't mean that! I-!" Garrus growled and shook his head, frustrated at himself for causing the half irritated, half perplexed expression on Shepard's face. He paced a moment and then plopped down beside her on the bed. "I haven't either."

"Not even with a Turian?" Shepard's agitation gave way to curiosity. Garrus shook his head and leaned on his knees, head in his hands.

"Oh..." Silence fell heavy in the room. Garrus cringed when he felt Shepard's weight lift off the bed, feeling completely useless. He was surprised, though, when he found her in front of him, extracting his hands from his face and placing them on her hips as she clambered a little clumsily into his lap. He cradled her to keep her from falling. She grasped his shoulders to balance herself and pressed her forehead to his. "I guess that will make this a little less intimidating. A little."

Garrus looked in her eyes and gave a Turian smile. Gods, he loved her. He vowed then that he would do whatever he had to to make this work out; try anything and everything to make this special for her.

"Okay, so... Since we're both flying blind here... What should we do?" Garrus asked, though his talons were already tickling their way over the curve of her waist again.

"I guess we'll just have to experiment..," Shepard replied with a small shrug. "I saw some vids that might have given me some ideas."

"You watched vids?"

"Well, yeah. How else was I supposed to know what to do?" Garrus paused and Shepard felt his talons starting to prod her flesh.

"...What kind...?"

"Well... Since it's you and me... I looked up Turian and Humans..." She wasn't sure what the noise Garrus had just made so deep inside himself that she could feel it was, but she found it a little exciting.

"I can't believe you watched mating vids...," he said, pressing his nose up into the hollow of her throat, a breath flaring out against her skin warm enough to moisten it.

"And why not? Since when am I a saint, Mr. Vakarian?" She nudged his shoulder and he chuckled.

"Me too, actually."

"You're such a bastard – you almost made me feel guilty!" she huffed.

"What did you learn...?" he ignored her pouting. Shepard leaned close to him enough that her breasts hugged against the soft plates of his chest. Her lips pressed against the skin of his neck just below the edge of his fringe while her fingertips wandered just to the outside of his trousers, prancing beneath the ridges of his hip plates to the vulnerable flesh there. "Ahhh—haaah..." Shepard couldn't stop herself from grinning as the Turian squirmed beneath her. Spurred on by his feral noises and the awkward shifting of his legs beneath her, she continued the treatment. For good measure she let her tongue test the texture of his skin and was greeted with his claws digging firmly into her thighs.

"Ow, ow! Garrus!" she squirmed now and Garrus loosened his grip, giving a thoroughly frustrated and ragged breath.

"That's not fair..," he said, almost grumpy sounding.

"I'm sorry, but you have to watch it... I don't have all this." She brushed her fingers over the plating on his chest.

"True. But you do have this," Garrus replied and darted his hands up under her shirt, remembering how she had reacted before when he touched her breasts. She gasped as the blunt edge of his talons caressed her nipples. Her hands instinctively moved to stop him but she stopped herself, instead grasping at his forearms. Feeling a little powerful with the upper hand now, he pressed the bothersome fabric up from the mounds and leaned in, smelling the sweat on her skin. His long, lithe tongue brushed out to taste the salty moisture beneath one of her breasts. Shepard bit her lip to muffle a noise so Garrus decided to try something he'd seen on the vids as well, and swathed his tongue over the pink nub at the center of one of them.

"Garrus..," Shepard murmured. "Ah.." Her hips shifted and her eyes flew open to look at him. Garrus' tongue pulled back into his mouth slowly. Shepard rocked her hips again. "Garrus...is that...?"

"Yes...," he said sheepishly. "Can you blame me, really?" Despite the argument, he still sounded a little bit embarrassed.

"Should we take off your pants..?" Shepard offered.

"No, it's okay. Just give me a second." He shifted his hand between them to readjust himself. Certainly he could have come right out but he was afraid if he did it would be over too soon. He hadn't quite expected what he found once his hand was down there, however.

"Shepard, your shorts are wet."

"Can you blame me?" Shepard said, giving him a cock-eyed look. Garrus' eyes remained on her pelvic area and his talons pressed up into the moist fabric. Shepard jumped a bit and yelped. "Damnit, Garrus!"

"Shepard." The 'R' in her name come out almost as a purr. Garrus was apparently pleased with this development. "Can I see...?"

"Garrus, stop talking like a perv," Shepard said, exasperated, though she knew he was just genuinely...and partially lustfully...curious.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. Fine. Show me yours first," she said defiantly.

"Show you my-?"

"Yes!" Garrus suddenly looked like a startled Pyjack. When he didn't move, Shepard took matters into her own hands, literally, and wrestled with his pants. He tried to fight her off, but as usual she was determined, and before he knew it there were warm fingers around him, pulling him into the open air. "Oh..."

Garrus snorted a breath, not particularly enjoying having been exposed like this, but she'd made him a deal. Reaching over he began to wrest her shorts from her, ending up having to roll her over on the bed and pull them down her protesting legs and getting them tangled around her ankles a few times before they finally gave.

"You're a fiend, Vakarian!" Shepard declared, bare to him now. Garrus made to give her a victorious retort until the pheromones wafting from her exposed sex muddled his head. Shepard noticed he was staring and clamped her legs shut.

"Shepard," Garrus said in that soft way that made her feel like goo. He approached the bed again, seemingly undeterred by the fact that his pants were half hanging off his jagged hips and he was showing her he was more than ready.

"Garrus, would you stop looking at me like that!" Shepard said, exasperated as she lay there feeling just a little too vulnerable for her tastes. The Turian crawled up to her knees and rested his hands on them, looking down at her.

"Why? You're amazing...," he purred. Shepard blushed furiously. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to act so juvenile... I'm just nervous, Shepard." His admission made her relax a little and allowed her to return her eyes to his without feeling ridiculous.

"Yeah, me too" she replied, and cautiously shifted her knees apart before holding out her arms to him. Garrus took the signal and crawled over her. She felt comforted as he slid his arms around her and lightly licked at her jawline.

"Are you still okay with this?" he asked near her ear. "I won't continue if you don't want to." And it was that fact that reaffirmed Shepard's initial decision.

"Yeah... I want to be closer to you, Garrus..."

"Anything I should know?"

"I might bleed..." He watched her eyes glance down at the space between them. "Actually, I probably will."

"Is that normal?"

"Yes. And it might hurt.. Just go slow and I should be okay," she said. She gnawed her lip a little and he could tell, despite her tone, that she was still nervous. His talons brushed the hair from her forehead affectionately.

"Okay..." He pressed his face into her neck again, holding her close as he shifted his hips testingly against her. His length brushed against the moisture that had pooled against her folds and it was everything for him to not let his feral instincts take over. If it felt this good just on the outside, he could only dream what it would be like inside. Like she'd asked, he took it slow, just letting her get used to the feel of him rubbing against her. When she gripped at his arms and squirmed with a whimper he thought he may have hurt her somehow; one of his ridges rubbing her soft flesh wrong.

"You okay?" he asked, though from the look on her face she wasn't terribly troubled. She was panting and he felt her hips press up against him. "Is...is that good?"

"Yes... Oh, please, Garrus... Don't stop...," she sighed. Happy to oblige, he continued rubbing against her, his member easily parting her. After a few more rocks of his hips he noticed that he was rubbing against a small protrusion hidden beneath her folds. He took a moment to feel it out and discovered that this was what was eliciting the wonderfully melodious moans from her. He thrilled at having found such an amazing trigger for her. Her hands had moved to the sheets of the bed and she was grasping them feverishly, her brow furrowed with soft drops of sweat accumulating there.

"G...Ga...Garrus!" She gasped, bucking up against him. On of his hands moved to her thigh as she spasmed beneath him. He was surprised as more warm fluid poured out against him and the smell of her became ever more potent. It was driving him crazy, and as she lay panting he shakily reached down to find where her opening was before positioning the tip of himself there.

"Shepard.. I'm going to... Are you ready?" She couldn't find her voice but she nodded and opened her eyes enough to watch him. Once the tip was inside, he leaned back over her and gently began to push into her. He bowed his head, suddenly unsure if he was going to even make it all the way in before ending. The way she gripped him, how tight she was, was better than anything he'd ever felt before. He thanked Shepard with all his being when she pressed herself up to help him nestle inside. He watched her for signs of pain, and she flinched once or twice, but once he was inside, she relaxed against the sheets.

Garrus cursed himself for how clumsily his hips pressed against her, unable to steady himself at first. He paused more than once to stave off the rush.

"Garrus, are you okay?" Shepard breathed soft, her fingertips reaching up to caress his face. He focused on her face, her eyes clouded with pleasure, cheeks flush with heat.

"Just...Shepard... Gods...," he whimpered a little. "I want this to last." Shepard shifted her hips a little beneath him and leaned up to kiss his forehead plate.

"Me too... Just..take it slow." He nodded and readied himself again before starting to rock his hips gently, pressing in and out of her. Shepard watched his eyes, hands moving to his shoulders as he moved. Her lips parted and she began to weakly move her hips up to greet his. Garrus drowned in the delicious rhythm and feeling of her body against his. He cradled her close and growled softly against her collarbone. As the heat rose in his groin he moved his claws to the sheets, taking his energy out on them instead of her skin. Shepard mused that she would need a new set of sheets. "Shepard...?"

"Yes?" she looked back to him, hearing the strained tone in his voice.

"Can I mark you...? Please...?" he asked, breathless.

"I..."

"Please... I want you... Always..." he whispered looking in her eyes desperately now. She was speechless, but after a moment she pulled his head down to hers, brushing foreheads and placed an awkward kiss on his mouth.

"Anything for you, Garrus," she said gently, feeling the nervousness leave his body. He nuzzled her, nudging her head to the side and opened his mouth. Shepard felt his breath and tongue on her shoulder, and then a sharp pain. She stifled any noise she may have given, and tried her best to relax her body so she didn't startle him. He pressed deep into her and she gasped when she felt him pulsing inside. Her arms encircled his neck and she pressed a kiss to it. As soon as his body went fully lax, his teeth pulled from her flesh, his tongue preening the area clean.

For a moment that seemed to stretch hours long, they lay there together. Eventually, out of comfort's sake, Garrus crawled off her and lolled to the side. He quickly made it a point to pull her close to him, not wanting to be parted for long.

"That was...wonderful, Garrus," Shepard hummed, curling up in his arms.

"Can we do it again, soon?" he said, still catching his breath. Shepard chuckled.

"Sure. There's more things from the vids to try."

"I honestly don't know how I'm going to stand living in separate dorms now."

"We'll just have to be creative," Shepard hummed. "Garrus...?"

"Yes?"

"Did you mean this...?" Her fingertips brushed the slightly irritated flesh on her shoulder.

"Definitely. Why?"

"Just.. You know you're a handsome Turian. One day you might run across someone more like you... More suited..."

"Biologically? Probably. Culturally? Most likely. But like this...? Shepard," He traced her arm with his talons lightly. "Never."

"You say that now..," Shepard prodded.

"Quiet," he said, lightly caressing the wound with his tongue one more time. "You're stuck with me."

"Always," Shepard murmured with a smile.

* * *

Garrus felt like he had been walking around all day in a haze, wondering more than once whether or not the night prior had all been a dream. He had been anxious since he knew he generally didn't see Shepard until later in the day. His feet picked up pace of their own accord and he rounded the corner, eyes immediately searching her out down by the lockers. He didn't even need to scan the crowd of students.

He was a little disappointed to see her back in the school uniform, not so much because he really enjoyed seeing her otherwise, but because the mark he had so passionately placed on her was no longer visible. The uniform jacket was long sleeved and high collared. Shepard usually made it a point to leave the collar unzipped since she found it a little restricting on her neck. She had once complained that they must have patterned the outfits from an Asari model because it always seemed to not fit her quite right.

She had mentioned the bagginess in the chest a few times, too. Garrus mentally chuckled at this. As much as he found her breasts interesting, he never would understand their apparent importance to the female human culture. Perhaps it was something like having a prominent fringe or an attractive collar ridge, though the humans never paraded around their fleshy masses like that. Sometimes it even got them arrested, if that made any lick of sense.

Instead of greeting Shepard like usual, Garrus swooped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up into an embrace. She yelped, but then laughed when he set her back down, but didn't entirely release her.

"Good day to you, too," she said. Garrus brushed a hand up into the collar of her uniform jacket to push it back and take a peek at his handiwork. The wound had healed over just fine, much less red, but still very much there.

"It's healing up nicely," Shepard said without his asking. "For a first try you cut clean."

"Gee, thanks," Garrus said, half meaning it, half feeling like she was teasing him. He was truly proud of marking her, but only wished everyone else could see it. It was probably better that they didn't, though. It would no doubt cause gossip to go flying. He didn't really care, but there was Shepard to consider. "Does it still hurt?"

"A little. Just kind of sore. But so are other places, so I can deal," she said with a wry grin. Garrus grinned as wide as a Turian might.

"So... uh..," he hummed. "Did you..."

"Enjoy it? Mr. Vakarian, you gave me the night of my life," she stroked his ego. Though she really enjoyed watching him puff up with pride, she wasn't lying in the slightest.

"I'm glad..," he purred, giving her jaw a discrete lick of the tip of his tongue.

"Did you enjoy it?" Shepard laughed as Garrus nodded so hard she was almost sure he may have knocked something loose.

"Though I apologize if my marking you has made things awkward."

"Why?"

"Well, because now if anyone sees... they'll know that we're...mated," Garrus sounded like he enjoyed the last word rolling off his tongue immensely. "You know how these guys are. I just hate to give them a reason to start judging you." He watched a little baffled as Shepard unzipped her jacket the rest of the way, leaving her only in a plain white tank top. She flipped the jacket in her hand over the unmarked shoulder and started walking.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Garrus paused and watched her move down the hall, head held high and stride as proud as a Turian General. Eyes glimpsed his mark, and people began to whisper, but she didn't acknowledge a bit of it. His Shepard had her own opinions and morals after all, and would fight readily for either one. It was something he admired about her, and one of many reasons he loved her. Garrus tucked his hands in his pockets and mused to himself.

He could only imagine the havoc she would wreak on the galaxy someday – and he knew she was destined for great things. And, if he had anything to say about it, he would be right beside her every step of the way.


	2. Chapter 2

The original fic was so popular I decided to add some more! Here you go, readers! Here's how Young!Shep 'n Garrus hooked up including the fight with Aria T'Loak that started it all and total BFFs Shep and Joker! Whee!

* * *

ONE YEAR EARLIER...

"Ha! Read it and weep, Shepard!"

"Damnit! Now I'm sure you're cheating! You're hiding cards in that blasted chair, aren't you?" Shepard rounded Joker's grav-chair and made to check the storage compartments.

"Hey, dig all you like. I'm just that good," Joker smirked, glancing back at her as he lifted his hand in mock modesty. "Now hand over that burger."

Shepard groaned and flopped into the chair across from the pilot-in-training, scooting the package across the table. Her parents had sent her a care package complete with her favorite fast-food found only on Earth. Once Joker had caught wind that there was authentic Earth-food in the Academy aside from the multi-race-compliant mess they usually ended up eating, he set a plan in motion. One game of poker was all he needed and that burger would be his.

Shepard was always up for a challenge, sometimes too often for her own good. Joker knew she wouldn't have been able to resist.

"Guess it's god-knows-what casserole for me tonight," she mourned. "Then again, maybe I have some gum stashed away somewhere."

"Mmmnnsooogooood," Joker muffled around the burger and Shepard threw the box wrapper at him. It promptly bounced off his cap. "Fhey... Watch the merchandise."

"You really should get a new one anyway. That one's getting awful ratty," she said, leaning an elbow on the table.

"Hey, this baby is gonna get me through flight school. Don't knock it."

"Yes, because piloting has nothing to do with skill."

"Never said anything like that. My mad skills are what's getting me to the top of the class. The hat just keeps the spitballs off my head." Shepard tilted her head and regarded him a little sympathetically. Unfortunately for Jeff, his fellow students were not the kindest. Because of the disease that made his bones brittle, they expected no competition from him in the slightest. Shepard knew better. He was determined as hell not to let his condition get the better of him. They had become fast friends when they first met, she admiring his drive and he appreciating the fact she treated him as an equal. That and they both respected the fact the other preferred to be called something other than their first name. Shepard hated how girly her name sounded, so she stuck to her surname. Joker enjoyed his nickname because it reflected his wicked humor, and was the name of a badass Batman villain. "Don't give me that look."

"Sorry," Shepard apologized. She knew he didn't like it when people looked like they were sorry for him. Sometimes the expression just slipped in and she always felt a little guilty for it. He always forgave her though. Quickly, she changed the subject. "So what happened with that Asari you asked out recently? Sha'ira I think?"

"Ahhh. She just gave me some bull story about why not. Somethin' about our galaxies weren't in alignment or something. I tell ya, Shepard...it sucks getting blown off but at least the humans do it without the crazy...most the time." Shepard chuckled lightly. "So why haven't you gone and seduced some lucky guy yet?" he asked, savoring the remnants of the burger juice on his fingers. "I tell ya that Alenko guy from the Biotic-Ball team has been eying you up and down."

"Kaiden? Please...," Shepard said with a shake of her head. "I don't know why, but biotics just seem to turn guys into assholes. He's another jock that thinks he's better than everyone else, trust me. Besides, I'm not here to date. I'm here to get my own ship and rule the galaxy someday." She waved a fist with dramatic ruthlessness.

"Hey, cool. Maybe I can be your pilot!" he grinned genuinely, shifting in his chair.

"We'll be the bane of the universe!" Shepard said and they both let out a playful, maniacal chorus of laughter which garnered some odd looks from the others in the cafeteria. Joker snickered.

"They'll be wondering what the hell that was about for weeks," Shepard said, pressing her face into her hand to stifle a giggle.

"Well, it's just my opinion and everything..."

"Oh no..."

"No! Hear me out. Maybe you should try dating outside your species. You could totally hook up with a hot Asari, though I demand vids of the makeout sessions."

"Joker!"

"It's your duty as a friend!" he said, giving her puppy dog eyes. Shepard shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Fine. What about that Turian over there? He seems to have found something interesting about the back of your head."

Shepard glanced over her shoulder a few tables down to see that Joker was right. The Turian, when he realized he'd been caught staring, ducked his head and became fixated on his lunch. Joker couldn't stop himself from grinning ear to ear as Shepard looked back at him.

"I think I've seen him before."

"Convenient! I dare you to go ask him out. I bet he'll piss his pants."

"What's that mean?" Shepard gave him a crooked look. Joker shrugged.

"You're not exactly the most feminine girl I know. Half the people you talk to look like they're going to wet themselves. Happens when you manage to take down half the class in hand-to-hand training." Shepard felt her cheeks heat up. Why should that have been a problem? It wasn't her fault they were all terrible at it and couldn't do a proper duck and weave!

"I can be feminine. Hell, more feminine than an Asari, I bet!" Jeff raised his brows at her and blinked. "Okay, maybe not THAT feminine, but still!" He grinned now.

"My bet still stands."

"And what do I get for it if I win?"

"My respect?" Shepard grimaced. "Just do it for your own sake, really, Shepard. You need to get out more."

She sighed and nodded.

"Fine. How do I look?" She brushed the hair out of her eyes, though it fell right back in them, and straightened her uniform.

"More cleavage." Shepard glanced down at her already unzipped uniform jacket. Awkwardly she unzipped it a little further and tugged at her tank top to try to reveal more skin. Seeing as how she wasn't the most well endowed girl in the world, she shrugged and looked at Joker hopelessly. He was leaning on the table now, rubbing his chin with a hand and regarding her like an academy exam.

"Good, but turn around and let me see your butt. You know, just to make sure it's perky enough." Shepard narrowed her eyes at him disapprovingly.

"Bah. Forget you. I'll do this my way." She zipped her jacket back up to where it had started and turned to go. Joker lifted his hands.

"Just trying to be helpful!"

* * *

Garrus shuffled the mush around in the bowl before him, not believing that he'd actually let himself get caught looking at Shepard. Maybe she hadn't noticed. Maybe she had been looking past him at something else. He glanced up cautiously and immediately ducked his head again when he saw her approaching. Crap! What should he do? He felt himself starting to panic and part of him considered fleeing for the nearest exit, though he didn't particularly feel like explaining his erratic behavior to his current company later.

Chellick and Nihilus were currently involved in some sort of debate about whether or not Citadel Spectres should have been granted as much freedom as they did. Apparently, Nihilus had plans to enter Spectre training as soon as he'd completed his stint at the Academy. Garrus had considered the same thing only briefly until he'd gotten a mawful from his father concerning his distaste for the idea. At least Septimus was a little more docile, but that was because he was having woman trouble with some Asari who had rebuffed his courting request. Garrus almost wanted to rub it in his face if he wasn't so distraught. Not two days ago this Turian trio had laughed at his interest in a human.

It wasn't like he'd outwardly admitted an attraction to her, he'd just expressed his admiration for her ability to fight. As he might have expected, this garnered a few disapproving looks. He knew they would never admit Shepard was good at anything. They didn't admit such a thing about anyone beyond their own species most of the time unless they got involved in a one-on-one brawl. Garrus' openness just made him stick out worse among his acquaintances. He suspected he just wasn't a very good Turian in the first place.

But that was beside the point. The point was he had been staring.

You didn't just STARE at Shepard! How long did he think he was going to get away with it before she noticed? And now he was trapped with no way out.

But wait, now. She had just bumped into...no. Well, she certainly wasn't coming his way now, not with the bad-news Asari in her way. Garrus wondered if Shepard had shouldered into Aria on purpose, but no one would have been that stupid. The girl basically ran the school and was the highest student authority on her own terms. Some people suspected she had some sort of 'in' with the administration that made them overlook some of the things she did. For the most part, she and her goons kept a low profile, but every now and then there was an example to be made and it seemed that today it was Shepard. He suddenly became very aware that the entire cafeteria had grown deathly silent.

If the two females were talking, no one could hear it. Garrus could vaguely make out their mouths moving, but just barely. A Batarian and a Turian Garrus had never seen were flanking them, the tension so thick he could have cut it with a talon.

And then out of nowhere Shepard was flying across the room via a hefty biotic blast. The girl crashed into a table, scattering trays, chairs and students. Aria seemed to have made her point and moved to leave, only Shepard didn't deem this confrontation done. She was on her feet in seconds and tossed a ball of energy that slammed the Asari in the face and knocked her to the floor. Hushed gasps filled the air and students huddled together as Aria moved to her feet, waving off her henchmen. Garrus didn't like the look in her eyes – they meant to kill.

It was just Shepard's luck that the one day she wasn't paying attention to where she was going that Aria would show up in her path. She had nothing against the Asari, and as far as she knew Aria had no feud with her. But Aria didn't need a reason – you just didn't get within five feet of her unless you wanted your day to go horribly wrong. Shepard couldn't say she was surprised when she found herself on the other end of the room with synthesized mashed potatoes in her hair and some green jello-like fluid soaking through her pants, but it didn't mean she planned to leave the assault unanswered.

She knew it was crazy, but most people already thought she was so tossing the biotic rush at Aria's head came at no second thought. When the Asari was on her feet again and made it a point to keep her goons at bay, Shepard knew they'd started a duel and the cafeteria was their arena. Anything that wasn't hinged to the floor went flying, with students screaming and evacuating the room to avoid getting caught in the brawl. Only a few stayed behind to watch – it was the best live entertainment they could get.

Garrus and the other Turians had been some of the few to stay. His troupe was currently taking bets on who would win, but when they nudged him to get in on it he was far too focused to answer. He was watching Shepard, closely, determining her actions by how she moved. He tried to predict everything she was doing and for a moment he wished he was in Aria's place, taking her on hand to hand so he could feel her power as much as see it. It wasn't the biotics at all, but just how her body moved. She was still learning but it was obvious there was skill there – it just needed to be molded to the perfection it had potential to be. Amateur or not, she was strong and she exuded that strength with every inch of her being, passionate and driven.

Garrus watched her left foot slide back a few inches as she and Aria stood locked blasting their biotic fields against one another. He felt his tongue go dry.

"Shepard...you aren't...," he murmured aloud to himself. Then, just as he had suspected, the beautifully reckless little human let her legs fold, ducking down and directing her biotics forward and up to drive Aria's away just far enough... just enough...

And then her fist connected with Aria's jaw. The biotic fields dissipated and Shepard stood a little too close a little too long. Aria recovered quickly, and though Garrus silently willed Shepard to move away from the danger zone, she was clocked with a devastating force that made her stumble, her lip splitting and nose dripping blood. And still, she came. When Aria approached her to deal another blow, Shepard's hands glowing faintly with a defensive shimmer of blue, they were forced apart. The two found themselves hoisted into the air and turned their eyes to where everyone else was looking.

Samara, the Academy's Detention Head, held the troublemakers firmly in a biotic prison.

"That's quite enough," she said in the calm cool that everyone knew didn't necessarily mean good things. "You've caused a big enough ruckus for today. I think it's time you two came to my office." With that, she dropped the girls carelessly to the floor. They grunted, but slowly pulled themselves to their feet again and followed the Asari. They didn't dare do otherwise, because while fighting each other may have been dangerous, challenging Samara was worse. Garrus watched the girls go, not believing what he had just witnessed. Though Shepard's face visibly purpled with the beaten she'd taken, if you really looked (it was not as obvious on Asari) you could see that Aria's eye had begun to swell and her jaw was turning a stained plum color.

* * *

"You know, that wasn't quite what I asked for, but it was pretty damn hot all the same."

"Glad my pain is so amusing to you," Shepard scowled at Joker as she sat on a bed in the infirmary with an ice pack to her face.

"Ehh, you'll be healed in no time and then you have the honor of saying you survived a fight with Aria T'Loak."

"And what does that say about me?" she huffed, obviously distraught about the whole thing. She hadn't meant to get in that fight. She just fought back when she was attacked. But really, who was she kidding? The second Aria was in her face she willed it. She willed the girl to attack her. God, what was wrong with her that she couldn't just back down? Her stomach clenched and she buried her face in the ice pack to hide her tears.

Joker noticed her small sobs anyway and reached up to place a hand on her knee.

"Hey...," he said lightly. "None of that. What does it say about you? It says you're a badass! What's so bad about that?"

Shepard dropped her hands with the pack into her lap. Her cheeks and eyes were pink with the tears and pressure from the pack.

"You said so yourself! I'm not feminine at all!"

"I thought you didn't LIKE to be feminine, Shep. Hell, you won't even let anyone call you by your first name."

"That's... That's not the point!" She reached up and wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Like you said, I'm crazy. There's a reason I have no friends, you know." Joker rested his chin on the hand at her knee and looked up at her soulfully.

"You have me," he said with a small pout, batting his eyes. Shepard snorted through her tears and choked on a small giggle, grabbing the bill of his hat and pulling it down. He pulled back and readjusted the hat. "You know you can't take me serious, Shepard. I mean, come on, 'Joker'? You don't need to hang yourself off some guy, or girl's, wink wink, arm. I think you're awesome and you don't need anyone else to tell you who you are. I mean, I wrote that book, right?"

Shepard nodded a little bit and sniffled, but the tears had stopped. Joker turned his chair around to head for the door.

"I gotta get to class, but try to cheer up. We're going to take over the galaxy, remember?" He held up a 'fist-bump' fist and Shepard returned the gesture with a nod. She watched him go and wiped her face a few more times with her sleeve. He was right. She didn't need to worry about it. She was going to be who she damn well wanted to be and woe to the people who got in her way! And, eventually, her perfect guy would show up, ready to take on the universe with her. They would be two peas in a pod, kicking ass and taking names! Yeah! Resolute, she headed over to check-out with Dr. Chakwas before leaving.

She paused as she exited the door and something caught her eye so she glanced to the right.

"Uh. Hi." She couldn't believe it. Wasn't this the Turian from the cafeteria? The one that Joker had teased her to ask out? Kind of late now, she thought sourly. No doubt she looked awful. The swelling had gone down but she was sporting a not-too-attractive purple eye and scratches on one of her cheeks.

"Hello," she offered anyway. "Garrus, isn't it?" Considering how he perked up she praised herself for having remembered his name. It was a feat in itself, alien names could get tricky with all sorts of vowels and hyphens and accents. At least his wasn't so complicated, and she'd heard it at least once before so she knew how to pronounce it.

"Yeah." There was a pause and Shepard stuffed her hands in her pockets waiting patiently to see what he wanted. Just as she was about to excuse herself he found his voice again. "You're amazing." Shepard cocked a brow and felt herself grow red. Where did that come from?

Garrus cursed himself but managed to stop himself from smacking himself in the head. That sounded great!

"I mean. You fight well," he clarified.

"Oh. Thanks." Crap! Was that the wrong thing to say? She didn't sound pleased. If anything she sounded a little disappointed. He looked at her a moment, at the bruises and scratches and his heart swelled a little inside. She sported her war wounds very well. "I'm sorry, but was there something you needed, Garrus? I should probably get to class."

"I...," he choked. "Shepard I was wondering something."

"What?" she asked. This was probably the most awkward Turian she had ever met. Maybe he had a speech impediment? Did Turians get those? Maybe her translator was malfunctioning.

"I know you're probably pretty popular with your own species... I mean.. probably pretty popular with everyone."

Shepard laughed out loud at this, but quieted herself when it seemed to startle him. Her fingertips poised at her lips, she bit her tongue a little.

"Erm... Sorry, go ahead."

Garrus blinked a couple times, perplexed. Had he made a joke? He hadn't thought so. Oh, well. She was smiling and that was a good thing, right? Humans laughed and smiled when they were happy.

"Just... It would honor me greatly if you would consider.. oh, what do you call it..? A...date with me?" Shepard's smile had vanished from her face and now she was staring at him with wide eyes. Garrus panicked a little inside. Maybe 'date' wasn't the right word! Maybe he'd just asked her to do something profane with him. Gods! He should have researched the terms better! Just turn around and go-home, Garrus, his brain screamed.

But she was smiling again all of a sudden. Her expression was softer; maybe he wasn't in danger of humiliation after all.

"I didn't know Turians dated," she said after a moment.

"Well... We don't. Usually we have a very involved ritual of courtship. I thought that might be a bit presumptuous of me to ask of a human."

"You want to court me, though?" she prodded, smiling a bit broader now. She rocked on her heels a little and he tried to judge what this body language meant.

"I..."

"Garrus, let me ask you something important."

"Okay." His head tilted to the side, much like an inquisitive bird.

"How do you feel about venturing the wide open spaces of the galaxy one day? Righting wrongs, sometimes wronging rights that are actually wrong?" The Turian blinked at her blankly. Shepard chuckled and simplified the question. "Do you want to soar the stars with me some day?" His confusion melted into an expression that Shepard could only find akin to winsome.

"I'd love that."

"Then, yes. You can court me."

"I... Court or date?" Shepard grinned a little and beckoned him to walk with her down the hall. He caught up to her and moved alongside her.

"How do you feel about being my second in command?"

Garrus wasn't sure what to say. Had she just accepted his request for a date or were they officially courting? Or had he somehow just been recruited on a ship somewhere? He wasn't entirely sure but he also wasn't sure he cared at this point. She was asking him to tell her about himself and so his attentions were easily distracted. He answered everything she asked, and thrilled when his answers garnered more smiles from her. He couldn't contain his own grin when she said she thought she was going to enjoy courting him.

It was just Shepard's luck, running into Garrus outside of the infirmary, just when she needed him. Joker had lifted her hopes and then here was the Turian, ready to help them soar into the stars. He wanted to date (court!) her! And he was adorable! Shepard had never really considered dating a Turian, but she had always thought they looked fascinating, if not a little ego-driven. Garrus didn't seem as bad as all that; in fact he seemed just her type. She mused a little about right places, right times, and some about things in the last place you thought to look. As he chattered on, happily answering her questions, she noticed how his mandibles flared when he got excited, or how his nose crinkled up when he was thinking.

Her aches and pains dulled with his company, and she looked forward to seeing what it was like to be properly courted by a Turian. Generally, humans never dated Turians – but she had also punched Aria T'Loak that day. There was a first time for everything.


End file.
